Posted By jane hallett We have barrier cream, granular cleaner and moisturiser available for our engineers. We also have disposable plastic gloves for very dirty jobs. Over the past couple of years the engineers have developed the habit of using the gloves only, usage of which is high and costing a fourtune. Bearing in mind environmental and wastage concerns, we are trying to discourage the routine use of the gloves. One engineer has stated that he is unable to use barrier cream as it makes his hands sweat and sore. The others are now claiming the same. Is this a common problem or are they just using it as an excuse? I have sampled different types of cream and no one has a history of skin problems. Any ideas or help appreciated. Jane

Posted By Robert M Edwards You need to look at what the engineers are handling. It is rare for barrier creams to create the reactive problems complained of. However it is very much more common for barrier creams not to provide a complete barrier for certain resins etc. That could be what is the issue here. Sampling your own reactions to the barrier cream is useless it is person specific risk we are looking at here. Buy gloves and reduce the risk and expense by choosing the correct supplier of gloves and monitoring individuals exposure to potential irritants.

Posted By jane hallett Thanks for the responses guys, they have helped my Directors articulate their concern (I'm in the buffer zone between them and the engineers). RA and COSHH Assessments and simple skin checks are in place, there is no problem with them using the gloves - the issue (clarified now)is the wastage of gloves - putting them on just before breaks when they go straight in the bin, likewise at home time and so on. We really don't want to go down the road of treating the engineers like children and issuing X number of gloves a day or whatever, we are just trying to reduce the waste and therefore costs. Any ideas?

Posted By David Brede Jane If you look at the problem from the opposite direction i.e. from management or supervision standpoint.Should they be allowing work to progress that requires the gloves so close to the break time? Unless you are using an incredibly expensive form of glove I would expect the cost of lost output would be greater than that of the glove? If you represent your arguments in a costs and benefits language then management will suddenly see the sense in the need for a good standard of protection as provided by the gloves. Alternatively is there any scope for eliminating the manual handling altogether and therefore the need for any sort of protection?

Posted By Marilyn Martin Jane, I would suggest that you seek further help from occupational health personnel. The general advice is that gloves be worn to protect whenever it is safe to do so. It is a good idea to educate employees on the benefits of good skin care and research has shown that most benefits are gained from reducing contact with substances where possible, then providing an appropriate barrier e.g. gloves and encouraging a good cleansing regime with the use of a good after care cream. It also means encouraging people to dry their hands properly after cleansing and undertaking other measures to reduce dryness and cracking of the skin. If you cannot persuade your company to invest in occupational health advice, it may be worth contacting a company such as Stockhausen. They manufacture and supply some excellent products. Their reps will give presentations on good skin care FOC. Get some of your workforce involved in trialling the products - that often helps! Also, as an add-on, please try to ensure your workforce are not using latex gloves, particularly with powder in, unless absolutely vital. Hope this may be useful Marilyn Martin